Folding blackboard and writing-desk.



M. T. BEDFO PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

FOLDING BLACKBOA'RD AND WRITING DESK.

AP PLIOATION FILED OCT. 25.1907.

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MILTON T. BEDFORD, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

FOLDING BLACKBOARD AND WRITING-DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application filed October 25, 1907. Serial No. 399,122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON T. BEDFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sidney, in the county of Shelby and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Folding Blackboards and VVnti'ng-Desks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding-blackboards and writing-desks, being provided'with an easel wherebythe same may be supported, when in its open position, for use as a floor blackboard and writingdesk, or when folded, may be su ported or hung upon awall for use as awall b ackboard.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a generally-improved foldable combinationyb ackboard and writing-desk, for the useof children in their homes or playrooms, which will be exceedingly sim' e in construction, cheap of manufacture, e' cient in use, and much better adapted to its intended purposes than any other device of the same class with which I am acquainted.

With these ends in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a perspective view of the invention in its open position for use as a floor blackboard and writingdesk. Fig. 2, a perspective view of the same in its folded position for use as a wall blackboard. Fig. 3, a view of the upper rear portion of the improved blackboard. and writing-desk in its folded position.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

The main frame of the improved foldingblackboard and writing-desk comprises main side-bars or'upright members 1, connected by means of interposed cross-bars 2, and 3, a cap-bar 4, resting upon the upper ends of the upright members 1, and a face-plate or cross member 5, the lower edge of the latter impinging against the face of the cross-bar 3, preferably, flush with the lower edge thereof, and forming, conjointly therewith, a receptacle or trough 6, for containing erasers, chalk, and other accessories of a desk and blackboard.

A back 7, is secured to the upper rear edges of the upright members 1, and vertical bars or side members 8, are secured to the back 7, within the upright members 1, leaving an intermediate vertical space 9, at each side, said side members 8, carrying on their lower ends a cross face-plate 10, preferably, of heavy cardboard or sheet. metal, and turned under along its lower edge forming a bottom for a receptacle 11, at the rear of said face-plate. A wire cross-bar or rail 12, is secured at its ends to the bars or side members 8, a short distance above the upper edge of the face-plate 1.0, and may be provided at suitable intervals with rearwardly-extending U-shaped loops 13, dividing the receptacle into two or more spaces, said loops 13 being also adapted to retain a pencil 14, or the like, as shown. In the present instance the receptacle is divided into two spaces, the left hand space being adapted to contain a packet or set of drawing cards 15, and the right hand space, a packet of writing-paper, scratch-pad or pencil-tablet 16. If desired, a loop of leather 17, or wire formed with the ends of wire cross-rail 12, similar to loops 13, may be formed at each end and in the rear corners of the receptacle 11, for the reception of a pencil 1S, pen-holder, or the like.

The faceof the cross-plate 10, is adapted to carry the alphabet, numerals, punctuation marks etc., as shown, and a wire memher 19, having its ends secured to the front of the cross-face-plate 5, and having its intermediate portion extending upwardly terminating in an outwardly-extendmg handleloop 20, is adapted to receive and contain one of the picture cards 15, or othen copy for the child to follow.

The blackboard, proper, or folding portion of the desk, comprises a two sided or double blackboard 21, carried on the front or face sides of a pair of side-supporting arms or bars 22, pivotally-mounted, secured to, and interposed between the main upright members 1, by means of pivots 23, and when adapted for use as a desk or easel blamiboard, the bars 22, extend rearwardiy beyond the pivots 23, and carry a connecting cross-bar 24. A vertically-arranged supporting-bar or easel member 25, is arranged to swing at the rear of the cross-bar 24, said member 25, being secured at its upper end to a cross-member 26, pivotally-secured to the back 7, by means of pins 27, having their ends bent at right angles and taking into the ends of the cross-member 26.

When it is desired to use the blackboard as a wall board, the blackboard 21, is folded up or closed as shown in Fig. 2, (the side'arms' 22, taking into and being seated within the vertical spaces 9) and suspended by means of the wire bail 28, extending across the back and also inclosing the easel member 25, so that the latter has but a limited rearward movement when the cross-bar 24, comes into engagement therewith and moves the same rearwardly incident to the opening movement of the blackboard, proper.

As a means for supporting the blackboard 21, in its horizontal position when open as shown most clearly in Fig. 1, vertically-an ranged wire members or guide-loops 29, are mounted on the lower front portions of the upright members 1, below the pivots 23, and the face of the blackboard is provided with a depending pivotally-mounted board-supporting wire-loop-brace or bail member comprising the brace members 30, and the cross member 31, slidably retained on the faces of the upright members by means of the guideloops or wire members 29, taking over the same. It will be observed that the lower angled or retaining ends 29 of the guide members act as stops to limit the downward movement of the cross member 31, of the bail member, and sustain the latter when the board is in its open position. A cross-bar 32, on the front edge of the board 21, is provided with a handle-ring 33, and when the board 21, is closed the projecting ends 32 of said bar act as stops to abut against. the faces of the upright members 1.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

I the operation and advantages of my invention Will be'readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a folding-blackboard and writingdesk, a pair of vertical bars carrying on their lower face sides a cross face-plate forming an intermediate receptacle divided into compartments by means of a cross wire secured at its ends to said vertical bars and provided with rearwardly-extending U-shaped loops.

2. In a folding-blackboard and writingdesk, the combination with a pair of upright members provided with a back, a pair of vertical bars secured to said back forming intermediate vertical spaces at each side and Within said upright members, and a cross face-plate secured to the lower end of said pair of vertical bars and forming a receptacle intermediate. said vertical bars; of a blackboard carried by side arms secured to and interposed between said upright members, said side arms being adapted to take into and be seated within said vertical spaces, and said blackboard covering said face-plate and receptacle when in its closed position.

3. A folding-blackboard and Writing-desk, comprising upright 'members, upper and -lower cross-bars interposed between said up right members, a cross face-plate secured to said upright members and forming a receptacle above one of said cross-bars, aback secured to said upright members, vertical bars secured to said back and carrying a crossface-plate forming a receptacle between said vertical. bars, a pair of side-sUpporting-bars pivotally-secured to said upright members, a blackboard secured to said side-supportingbars, an easel member pivotally-secured at the rear of said back, and a bail member secured to said upright members and extending across said back at the rear of said easel member to limitthe rearward movement of the same.

4. A folding-blackboard and writing-desk, comprising upright members, upper and lower cross-bars connected to said upright members, a cross-face-plate secured to the face of said upright members and impinging against said upper cross-bar forming a receptacle above said upper cross-bar, a back secured to said upright members, vertical bars secured to said back leaving a vertical space on each side and inside of said upright members and carrying a cross-face-plateforming a receptacle at the rear of said face-plate, a pair of supporting-bars pivotally-secured to said upright members and connected at their rear ends by means of a cross-bar, a blackboard secured to said supporting-bars, said side-supporting-bars being adapted to take into said vertical spaces and said blackboard to cover said face-plate and receptacle when in its folded position, an easel member arranged to 'be engaged by said cross-bar and to swing rearwardly when said blackboard is moved to its open position, and secured at its upper end to a cross-member pivotallysecured to said back, and a bail secured to said upright members and extending at the rear of said easel member to limit the rearward movement of same.

In testimony whereof I have aliiXed signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON T. BEDFORD. Witnesses:

G. HY. DIEKAS, CHAs. O MARsnALL. 

